2013 Recipient

health disparities. During his service, the state saw advances in areas such as tobaccocontrol, cancer screening, bioterrorism response after 9/11 and anthrax, health issues ofthe homeless, newborn screening, organ donation, suicide prevention and internationalpublic health partnerships.Dr. Koh graduated from Yale College, where he was President of the Yale Glee Club, andthe Yale University School of Medicine. He completed postgraduate training at Boston CityHospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, serving as chief resident in both hospitals.He has earned board certification in four medical fields: internal medicine, hematology,medical oncology, and dermatology, as well as a Master of Public Health degree fromBoston University. At Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, he wasProfessor of Dermatology, Medicine and Public Health, as well as Director of CancerPrevention and Control.He has earned numerous awards and honors for interdisciplinary accomplishments inmedicine and public health, including the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award forNational Service, the Distinguished Service Award from the American Cancer Society,and the Drs. Jack E. White/LaSalle D. Leffall Cancer Prevention Award from the AmericanAssociation for Cancer Research and the Intercultural Cancer Council. He is an electedmember of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. President Bill Clintonappointed Dr. Koh as a member of the National Cancer Advisory Board (2000-2002). A pastChair of the Massachusetts Coalition for a Healthy Future (the group that pushed for theCommonwealth’s groundbreaking tobacco control initiative), Dr. Koh was named by the NewEngland Division of the American Cancer Society as “one of the most influential persons inthe fight against tobacco during the last 25 years.” He has also received the 2012 ChampionAward from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the “Hero of Epilepsy” Award from theEpilepsy Foundation, and the Baruch S. Blumberg Prize from the Hepatitis B Foundation. Hewas named to the K100 (the 100 leading Korean Americans in the first century of Koreanimmigration to the United States), and has received the Boston University DistinguishedAlumnus Award, as well as two honorary degrees. He has the distinction of throwing outthe ceremonial first pitch on two different occasions: at Nationals Park in Washington DCon behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services (2011), and at Fenway Parkwhen he was designated a “Medical All Star” by the Boston Red Sox (2003) in recognitionof his national contributions to the field of early detection and prevention of melanoma.Dr. Koh and his wife, Dr. Claudia Arrigg, are the proud parents of three children.11